Improved bureau-bedstead



UNITED STATES PATENT CrEici-i;

H. L. TI-IISTLE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVED BUREAU-BEDSTEAD.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 23,960, dated May 10, 1859.

.To all whom, it' m/cty concern:

Beit known that I, H. L. THISTLE, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Wardrobes,Book-Cases,orBureau-Bedsteads; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and eXact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a front elevation of the bedstead closed up in the form of a bureau, wardrobe,.

The same letters indicate like parts in all the figures.

The object of my said invention is to make a bedstead which by simply lifting up one end will be concealed and represent a wardrobe with a bureau in the lower part, or a book-case or such like piece of furniture, and be so constructed that in either position the weight will tend to keep the bedstead-frame in place, particularly when thrown u p to conceal the bed.

In the accompanying drawings, CL represents the casing for the bedstead, made in the form of the back, sides, bottom, and top of a wardrobe or such like piece of furniture, the upper part of the front b being formed in part by the bottom of the bedstead, while the lower part c of the front is in the forni of a bureau o'r such like piece of furniture and made detachable from the restand simply fitted thereto to conceal the connections of the bedstead with the case.

The bedstead part d is an open box of the required dimensions, with sides, en ds, and bottom, which when thrown up inthe position represented in 2 lits in the case and forms, as before stated, the front. The sides of the bedstead-frame are each connected by a fulcrum-pin e with a link f near the bottoni when lying down, as in Fig. 3, and near the front when thrown up, as in Fig. 2; and the other end of each link is hinged to the inner end'of a slide g, adapted to slide in suitable ways h, there being one set of such ways on each side. At the head end of the bedsteadframe there is a boX t' (represented by dotted lines) to contain sand or any equivalent weight. This box, it will be seen, will be just under the bolster of the bed when thrown out in the position, Fig. 3, so that the Inattress will fit in between this box and the Y end or foot piece j of the bedstead-frame,

The lower ends of the linksfare made sufficiently thin to work freely between the ways h; but the upper ends are made much thicker and with shoulders to extend over and rest on the upper surface of the ways to sustain the head end of the bedstead whenA thrown out, the foot end being supported at the required elevation by a panel k, which is hinged to the lower edge of the foot-piece j. The hinges which secure this panel are placed so far from the upper edgev of the said panel that when the bedstead is thrown up inthe position of Fig. 2 it will form part of the front of the wardrobe, and when in the position Fig. 3 the said panel will be thrown up in a vertical position, with its lower edge on the y floor and sustained by the lapping of the upper edge against the foot-piece, as represented.

1When it is desired to close up the bed, the foot end is lifted up, the frame turning freely on the pins e e of the links as a fulcrum, the sand or other weight in the box t' acting as a connterpoise, and in doing this the whole weight tends to keep the head end of the frame against the back of the case'. As the frame continues to rise. and as soon as the bottom of the head end comes in contact with the bottom of the case, the links are lifted from the ways and come in contact with stops l, projecting from the sides or back of the case, in consequence of which the lower ends of the links, with the slides to which they are hinged. are forced outward, so that when the bedstead is closed up, as in Fig. 2, the links will be in a vertical or nearly vertical position, with the greater part of the weight back of the fulcrum-pins e e, so that the links then act as braces to hold up .the bedstead-fraxne in its closed position, thus avoiding all danger of falling.` As the frame is lifted up, the panel lc turns on its hinges, its upper edge coming in contact with the rabbet below the cornice of the front faces, the whole panel to close up s espeso and make part of the front of the Wardrobe. The bureau can then be put in place to conceal the lower part of the structure, and may retain its place by reason of its weight and fitting over the ways h 7i, orit may be secured in any suitable manner by catches or bolts.

From the foregoing it will be seen that by this mode of construction a bedstead will be formed which when closed up will have all the appearance of a wardrobe, bureau, or, if desired, ot' a book-case or such like piece of ornamental furniture, and which when opened vout will not occupy any more space than would be occupied by an ordinary bedstead of equal length. It will also be seen that this piece of furniture may be opened out to form a bed by simply moving the bureau to one side and pulling down the upper or foot end of the frame, and closed up to conceal the bed by simply lifting up this frame; and that all this can be done readily and With the exertion of very little force. All the parts when put in either position Will tend to retain such position, and all the movable parts, from the simplicity of the structure, may be made so strong as to avoid all danger of getting out of order.

I am aware that bedsteads have been heretofore made so that they could be let down or thrown u p to represent a Wardrobe or bookcase; but they have been so constructed that operating them was attended with serious inconvenience and were very liable to derangelnent; and although I have above described the mode of construction which I have tried with success I do not Wish to be understood as limiting my claim of invention to such mode of construction, as other modes of construction involving my said invention may be adopted.

What I'claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l', Combining1 the bedstead-frame with the wardrobe or othercase by means of the hinged links and movable slides, substantially as described, whereby the bed can be let down to a lower level than by any other construction before known, while-at the same time it can be let down by a single movement and Within a space no longer than the bedstead and without the necessity of first drawing out-part of the structure from the wall or making joints in the side rails or pieces, the hinged links and slides giving to the structure all the foregoing advantages, as set forth.

2. In combination With the bedstead-frame connected with the case by the hinged links and slides, the Weighting of the head end of the frame to balance the weight of the foot end When lifting it up, and thereby facilitate the manipulation,.substantially as described.

3. Forming the support for the foot end of the bedstead-frame by a hinged panel, substantially as described, so that the said support When the bed is thrown up shall forrn part of the front of the Wardrobe or other piece of furniture, as set forth.

WM. H. BIsnoP, ANDREW DE LAY. 

